Rules and Regulations CONTENTS Rules 1000 through 4130 and 10500 through 10790 in this rule book pertain to all ranges and types of competition unless the match or range rules specifically state otherwise. EVERY PERSON IN COMPETITION IS EXPECTED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE RULES 1000 THROUGH 4130, 10500 THROUGH 10790, SECTIONS PARTICULAR TO THE DISCIPLINE(S) ENTERED . 2020 NMLRA RULES— *RANGE SAFETY .................................................................1000/1300 ......................................Pages 1-2 *RANGE RULES AND REGULATIONS ............................2000/2470 ......................................Pages 3-6 *COMPETITION and ELIGIBILITY ....................................3010/3070 ......................................Pages 6-7 *TYPES OF MATCHES ........................................................3080/3240 ......................................Pages 7-8 *RANGE OFFICER ...............................................................4000/4030 .............................................Page 8 RIFLE LINE COMMANDS ..................................................4040/4075 ......................................Pages 8-9 RIFLE LINE MATCHES........................................................5000/5070 ..........................................Page 10 BENCH MATCH RULES......................................................5080/5100 .................................Pages 10-11 SLUG GUN RULES ...............................................................5110/5180 ..........................................Page 11 ROUND BALL BENCH ........................................................5190/5270 ..........................................Page 11 CROSS STICK RULES .........................................................5280/5350 ..................................Pages 11-12 CHUNK GUN RULES ...........................................................5400/5520 .................................Pages 12-13 OFFHAND MATCH RULES ................................................5600/5680 ..........................................Page 13 SILHOUETTE ........................................................................5700/5800 .................................Pages 13-15 TABLE SHOOT ......................................................................5900/5980 ..........................................Page 15 RUNNING BOAR ..................................................................5990/5994 ..........................................Page 16 PISTOL ...................................................................................6000/6621 .................................Pages 16-22 MUSKET ................................................................................7000/7130 ..........................................Page 22 SHOTGUN .............................................................................8000/8890 .................................Pages 23-26 PRIMITIVE .............................................................................9000/9450 .................................Pages 26-31 TARGETS, SCORING AND MARKING .......................... 10010/10790 ...............................Pages 31-35 Natonal Muzzle Loading Rifle Association P.O. Box 67, Friendship, Indiana 47021 • Phone (812) 667-5131 These rules are enacted by the NMLRA Board of Directors. Questions should be addressed to Stan Reed, Chairman, NMLRA Range Rules and Regulations Committee at [email protected]; phone (304) 825-1863. RANGE SAFETY 1050–SAFETY INSPECTION OF EQUIPMENT Range officials acting under the authority of the Chief Range Officer, 1000–DISCIPLINE The safety of competitors, range shall have the right to examine a shooter’s equipment personnel, and spectators requires continuous for safety concerns. The responsibility shall be on the attention by all to the careful handling of shooter to submit questionable equipment for official muzzleloaders, rifles and pistols and caution in moving safety inspection and approval in sufficient time about the range. Self-discipline is necessary on the part prior to the beginning of a match so that it will not of all competitors, range personnel and spectators. inconvenience either the shooter or official. Where such self-discipline is lacking, it is the duty of the range personnel to enforce discipline, and the duty 1060–UNSAFE MUZZLELOADER, RIFLE OR PISTOL No of competitors to assist in such enforcement. muzzleloader, rifle or pistol shall be used in any competition if ruled unsafe by the Range Officer. 1010–EARLY SHOTS Any shot fired before the command of “COMMENCE LOADING, YOU MAY FIRE WHEN 1070–MUZZLELOADERS Any muzzle loading rifle, pistol, READY” is a serious infraction of many safety rules. Any or shotgun that complies with the Range Safety competitor violating this rule will be disqualified from regulations of this rule book and loads from the competition for a period of time determined by the muzzle, or into the chamber of a revolvers cylinder and sponsoring organization. complies with Rule 1250, is approved. For compliance of break-open actions, see Rule 2470. 1020–LATE SHOTS Any shot fired after the command of “Cease Firing” without the express permission of the 1080–CARRYING MUZZLELOADERS, RIFLES AND PISTOLS Range Officer is a serious infraction of the safety rules. Muzzleloaders, rifles and pistols will be carried between the loading benches and the firing line with At the Range Officers discretion, any one of the the muzzle above the shooter’s head and pointed following will be enforced. directly up. (Exception: pistol shooters and bench shooters need not keep the muzzle above the shooter’s (1) Verbal reprimand head) (2) Shot with the highest numerical value on the 1085–MUZZLELOADERS, RIFLES, AND PISTOLS PLACEMENT target will be counted as a miss. BETWEEN RELAYS After the command “GROUND ALL MUZZLELOADERS, RIFLES, BENCH ALL PISTOLS (3) Target disqualification. AND MAKE THE LINE SAFE” is given, the firing line is considered SAFE. During this safe time, competitors (4) Suspension of the competitor. may be directed to go down range and post and retrieve targets and all muzzleloaders, rifles, and pistols The Range Officer will sign the target, state the penalty will be positioned safely and not touched. Rifles must and reason, and send it to the scoring room. be placed with the butt plate on the ground with the barrel pointed up and leaned against the loading bench; 1025–LOADING EARLY Any person guilty of beginning pistols will be placed on the loading bench with the to load a muzzleloader, rifle or pistol before the barrel pointed muzzle up. command of “COMMENCE LOADING, YOU MAY FIRE WHEN READY” will be disqualified from competition 1090–BLOWING DOWN THE BARREL There will be NO for a period of time determined by the sponsoring blowing down the barrel during NMLRA matches in organization. any manner that requires the head to be in front of the muzzle. A flexible blow tube may be used at the 1030–INTOXICATING BEVERAGES OR DRUGS The use of shooter’s option, provided that the shooter’s head is or impairment from intoxicating beverages and/ not placed in front of the muzzle. or drugs on the firing line shall be ample cause for disqualification. 1100–LOADING FLINTLOCK MUZZLELOADERS All flintlock muzzleloaders must be loaded with the frizzen and 1040–SMOKING No person will be allowed to smoke on hammer in the forward position. the firing line or loading area at any time. This includes e-cigarettes or “VAPING”. 1110–SWABBING BETWEEN SHOTS Swabbing between 1 shots with a damp patch to eliminate the possibility BATF approved black powder substitute only. of glowing embers igniting the next powder charge is strongly recommended. 1220–POWDER MEASURE A separate powder measure or holder will be used to carry the powder charge from 1120–FALSE MUZZLES All false muzzles must be attached container to the muzzle of the gun. Charging directly by a cord or similar device so that the muzzleloader, from horn or flask is unsafe and is not permitted. rifle or pistol may not be placed in a normal shooting position without first removing the false muzzle from 1230–OPEN POWDER CONTAINERS There will not be any the barrel. open containers of powder on the firing line or loading benches of any range. 1130–WHEN TO LOAD No muzzleloader, rifle or pistol will be loaded, or caps snapped until the command 1240–TRIGGERS Triggers must be of the pull type. “Commence loading, you may fire when ready.” Triggers that function on delay, release, or electronic or hydraulic mechanisms are prohibited. 1140–CAPPING/PRIMING After the command “Commence loading, you may fire when ready” has been given, 1250–IGNITION Ignition must be one of the following: shooters may cap/prime only on the firing line or (a) flint stone or substitute, excluding metal, striking designated area with the muzzle pointed down range. frizzen (b) old type percussion cap that fits on the Any competitors violating this rule will receive the nipple; (c) primers may be used on all slug guns, and minimum penalty of having their target disqualified, inline actions in designated matches; (d) frizzens must along with other actions as the Range Officer may be faced with steel soles only; (e) wheel locks with old deem necessary, including suspension. The Range style ignition; (f) tube locks, pill locks, Maynard tape Officer will sign the target, state the penalty and primers may be used in or on an unaltered original. reason, and send it to the scoring room. Matchlocks are not allowed in National competition. Any lesser type ignition may be used